Adjustable stool



July 27, 1948. R R. CRAMER' 2,446,127Y

ADJUSTABLE STOOL Filed July 6, 1944 &.\\\Af INVENTOR 36 35 RJCHAQD 2. .CRA MEQ Patented July 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE` I ADJUSTABLE STOOL Richard R. Cramer, Dayton, Ohio Application July 6, 1944, Serial No. 543,673

This invention relates to stools of the type adapted for the seating of a person. Such stools comprise a seat member and supportingmeans therefor and are commonly used by draftsmen to sit at drafting tables, by housewives in the kitchen, by clerks and cashiers behind counters and cash registers in mercantile establishments, and in various other circumstances.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a stool of the type referred to wherein the seat member is capable of being very rapidly raised and lowered relative to its supporting means by a simple fingertip operation.

Another object is to provide a stool of the above type in which the seat member can be raised by simply lifting up thereon and the seat member will automatically remain in any position to which it is raised.

A further object is to provide a stool of thel character described in which theseat member can be lowered to any position by operation of a finger-tip control so designed that when the same is engaged by the hand of the user the seat member may be rapidly lowered, and, when the user disengages his hand from the control, the seat member will remain in the position which it occu-` pies at such time. l

Another object is to provide astool of .the type referred to, in whicha control member is carried Iby the seat member in a location conveniently engageable by the hand of the user as he grasps the seat member to move the same relatively to the supporting means.

Another object is to provide a stool of the above type including fluid pressure means constructed and arranged to support the seat memberwith respect to the supporting means upon a confined body of fluid, and valve means 'operative to permit additional fluid to enter the confining space as the seat member is raised while normally preventing the fluid from `passing out of said confining space so Yas to maintain said seat member inthe position to which it is raised.

Another object is to provide control means operable to condition the valve means referred to, in such a manner as to permit the fluid to pass out of. the aforesaid confining space and thereby allow the seat member to be lowered.

Another object `is to provide a stool of `this type of generally improved construction which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. n

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

4 Claims. (Cl. 155-94) 2 Figure l is a vertical sectional view illustrating a preferred embodiment of myinvention. L Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view. through the piston and cylinder, showing the valve means. Figure 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing a portion of the control means.

Figure 4 is an enlarged deta'il sectional view showing the positive locking means and the limit stop detent means. I l

Now referring to the drawing,` the stool there illustrated comprises` a seat member A which may be of wood or any other suitable material, `and supporting means therefor generally designated by the letter B and comprising legs `21, four of which are provided and suitably joined together to provide a rigid' supporting frame structure; As illustrated, the legs 2 may be conveniently formed of metal tubing, the tubularlegs 2 being bent `adjacent their upper ends which extend A through suitable openings provided in the annular flange 3a of a flat ring-like member 3. "I'he legs 2` may be welded or otherwise secured to the flange 3a. i i

Metal tubes leach have one'end weldedor otherwise secured to a respective leg 2 'adjacent the lower end of the latter.

ing providedin the annular ange 5a of a disc member 5, the tubes 4 being welded or otherwise secured to flange 5a. An annular tube member may extend around and be welded orotherwise secured to the legs 2,` as shown, to further assist in providing a rigid frame structure.

Fluid pressure means is provided including cooperating piston and cylinder element-s :associating the seat member A with the supporting means B for relative movement of said seat member A toward and .away from said supporting means B.

Tothis end, a cylinder 6 has its lower endsecured to the disc 5. For this purpose, :the plug'r between members I3` and I4 which are securedl together by meansV of bolts or screws I5. The

member I4 is force-fitted into the lower end of sleeve I6 whichslidingly fits in the cylinder 6 Y The other end of" each tube'4 may extend through a-suitable open`` and serves to connect the piston element I I with the seat member A, whereby the seat member A is rmly supported upon the supporting means B for upward and downward movement relative thereto. Flor securing the seat member A to the sleeve I6, the latter is threaded at its upper end as at I6a for cooperation with the correspondingly internally threaded boss Ila of a plate I1 which is secured to .the seat member Aby means of screws I8. i

The cylinder 6 is adapted to have fluid conlined therein and, for this purpose, a liquid 50, such as oil or the like commonly employed in hydraulic devices, is availed of. The nut I!) carries a lieiilible sealing member I9 of leather or like material tightly fitting around the sleeve 1S to 'prevent leakage of fluid from the cylinder '6. `'Ihis-iiuid lls any space interiorly of the cylinder 6 below the piston II and is also contained within the interior of the sleeve I6 above the piston I I.

Valve means is provided which is normally operative t'o prevent movement of fluid from the interior of the cylinder rv(i lbelow v.piston II to 'the interior of sleeve'll above piston II while permitting movement of said fluid from the interior of sleeve vIii 'above piston II lto the interior of cylinder 6 below piston I-I as the seat member A is raised relative to the supporting means B. Control means is provided which is `operalfile to condition the valve means for movement jof fluid from the interiori'of cylinder 6 below .piston II tothe interiorof sleeve 'I6 above piston I I as seat member A .is lowered relative to the supporting meansB.

To thefforeg'oing ends the member I3 is provided with `a icentral bore 'I3a registering with a central opening 'in the member I2 and a central bore Mb in the member `I'lI 'which has passages Ma communicating with its ycentral bore Mb, whereby to lprov-ide a lcontinuous passage for the fluid through 'the `piston YII between the interior of lcylinder 1i ybelowpiston II and the interior of sleeve iIii-above piston I-I. The flower end of bore I3a is provided with a seat for receiving the ball valve member 2U (located in a recess -I-3b a't the lower end bf member lf3) for closing the passage through the piston I I. .Ball valve mem-ber 20 is free to move offlits seat and awaytrom bore 13a due -to pressure-of 1fluid moving downwardly therethrough 'during raising movement 'or the seat member A relative to the supporting means B. Under such conditions, the ball valve member 20 is retained in association with piston element II by impingement'offball -20 with pins 2| secured to member I3 and extending transverselyacross the recess I3b at the lower end of Amember I3. Normally, howeventhe ball valve member 20 is maintained seated in bore ISa by the pressure of uidcon-flned in thecylinder 6 below the piston I I-, thus-automatically maintaining the seat member A in any .position to which it is raised relative te supportingmeans B. l v

The .control means tfor the valve member 20 includes an actuating member or rod 22 the lower end ofwhich (Figure 2) is slidingly received in the Kcentral-bore IIIb ofthe member I4. The lower extremity 22a of rod 22 is of reduced diameter to permit movement of fluid through the passage in piston II when ball 2li is unseated. The upper endof rod 22 slidingly extends through the bore of a plug Y23 force-fitted into the upper end of Sleeve I6. `Rod '22 is biased upwardly to the position yshown in the drawings (see Figures 1,72, 3). by means of spring 24 engaging washers 25 and 26 slidlngly mounted on rod 22, washer 25 being 4 retained on rod 22 by nut 21 threaded onto rod 2,2. Plug 23 carries a flexible sealing member 2B of leather or like material closely fitting around the rod 22 to prevent leakage oi uid from sleeve I6.

The control means also includes a cam member 29 secured to rod 3d associated with :plate member I? for sliding movement relative thereto. Rod 3l! is biased in a rightward direction, as shown in Figures l and .3', by means of spring ERI engaging an abutment 32 secured 'to rod 30. The latter is provided with a handle or finger engaging poretion 36a arranged under the seat member A and adjacent the edge thereof so that said handle may beconveniently engaged by the hand of a person while grasping the seat A to lower the same.

A detent member Sii is movable in a bore provided in a collar 34 secured to the cylinder 6, said detent-.$5 being movable through an opening provided in cylinder 6. Detent 35 is biased rightwafrdly '(see Fig-'ure 4) into engageznent withfslee've IB by spring 36 engaged Jby yset screw L3l. --Sleeve I6 is provided with an-annu-lar xrecess 33 `(FigureZ) coopera-ble with detent 35 to limit the upward movementof sleeve li'an-d piston y:IIupon engagementof detent 35 in recess3-8. The .pressure iluid preferably yiills the spacein the cylinder "Eik, below :piston II and the interior bfsleeve fI-G'at rleast to a height -above ythe point ef 'highest rmovementfof piston II asdetermined by the limiting engagement of detent V35 with sleeve I6. Recess 38 is formed with -a tapered `shoulder 38a ,provid-ingV cam means Lto Acil-isengage detent 35'ffrom recess 38 upon Vdownward lmovement of seat member Aand sleeve I6 relative tosuppor-ting means B. K

Positive locking means is provided comprising a vhandrscrew 40 threaded into 'collar` v3d. The inner end 40a' of screw 40 extends through an opening in cylinder 6 and is engagea-ble with sleeve -I6 to positively prevent relative movement between sleeve I6 and cylinder l if desired. This locking means is an added vprovision. for locking the seat :member in position, said locking; means noti-being essential for the pur-pose of maintaining seat. member A in vraised position, since the fluid :pressure means isydesigned to operate` to automatically prevent downward movement of theseat member until the valve means is properly conditioned by the -control means as hereinafter described. j N l .'In operation, the userof the'stool of the invention may raise the seat member A relative to the supporting member B by engaging the seat member A withhis hand `and lifting or pushing the same upwardly. At the same time the supporting means B y,may be held firmly.,` although this is not essential since the weight of the supporting means B will exertv a downward force thereon tending to draw the supporting means B away 'from the se'at member A upon the application of a lifting force to the latter. As the seat member Avis raised relative to supporting member B', thersleeve I6 (secured to the seatv member A) and the piston element .II (associated "with sleeve I6) are raised relative to cylinder '6 which is secured vto supporting means B. upward movement of .piston I I and sleeve IB allows Vball 2l] to be displaced from its seat, thereby opening the passage through piston 'II so that Ifluid may move fromthe interior of 'sleeve I6 above 'the` .piston 'II to the interior of cylinder y6 below piston I I.

Such movementvof the uid will continue as long as the seat :member .A is being raised relative tosupporting means B, detent` 35 being cog operable with recess 38 at the lower end 'of sleeve I6 tol limit the `upward movement of the The seat member `A isi automaticallymaintained, at substantially the position to which l latter.

3ll-and cam member 29 in a leftward direction (Figure 3) causing cam 29 to engage nut 27 thereby pushing actuating rod` 22 downwardly. r This causes the lower extremity 22a of rod 22 to engagerball moving thesame downwardly, oif` its` seat, therebyopening the passage through; piston Il. When the control handle 3l! is being so actuated, the seat member A may be pushed downwardly relative to supporting means B by hand` pressure downwardly exerted upon seat member A, since such actuation of control handle permits movement of fluid from the interior of cylinder 6 below piston Il, through the passage in piston Il to the interior of sleeve i6 above piston Il, thereby allowing piston Il and sleeve I6 to move downwardly relative to cylinder E, as

downward pressure is applied `to seat member,4U

A. When the hand is disengaged from control handle 30a, cam 29 is biased to the position shown inFigure 3, `out of engagement with nut 21 so that` rod 22 is returned upwardly, by spring 24, out of engagement with ball 2U permitting the latter to be returned to its seat Y(by the pres-- sureof fluid in cylinder 6 below piston Il), thus preventing further downward movement of seat member A relative to supporting4 means B.

It will be apparent fromthe foregoing that the raising of the seat member Amay be effected practically by the fingers of the users Vhand pressingupwardly on the underside of the seat member A.V Likewise, the lowering of theseat member A maybe effected practically by the application of the pressure of the users thumb to upper side of the seat member A, adjacent the edge thereof, while aiinger of the same hand engages the -handle 30 to move it leftwardly, referring to Figure 3.

If desired, a spring can be provided engaging the pins 2| (or other supporting means) and the ball 20 to bias the latter to its seat, closing the passage through the piston H. In such event, the control handle 39a would have to be actuated for both raising and lowering of the seat member A. The construction as above described without such spring is considered advantageous, since it does not require actuation of control handle 30a for raising movement of the seat member A.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l.. An article of furniture of the class described, comprising, in combination, a movable seat member` and stationary supporting means therefor, cooperating piston and cylinder elements, one of said elements being secured to said movable member and the other of said elements being secured to said supporting means, said piston element having a passage therethrough, said cylinder having iiuid therein adapted to support the pistonl in the cylinder, a single valve member carried by said piston and adapted to close said passage and thereby prevent the ow of said iiuid therethrough to the space above said piston when the latter is at rest in said Vcylinder, said valve memberbeing freely movable toward and away from closed position and being" automatically movable to openisaidpassage upon upward movement `of said piston in said "cylinder whereby to permit fluid above said piston to flow through said passage' to the space in said cylinder below said piston, and control means` operable to hold said valve member in open position for movement of fluid through said passage from `below the piston to the space in the cylinder above the piston for effecting lowering movement of said movable member relative to* the supporting means, the control means com-A prising an actuating member movable in the direction of piston movement and operable to movek the valve member to open position, meansbiasing said `actuating member to non-actuating condition,V a pull rod associated with the said movable member for transverse movement rel-f ative thereto, a cam member onsaid rod and enf gageable with said actuating member to effect operation of the valve member as aforesaid whenthe rod is pulledrin one direction, and means` biasing said pull rod to a position in which the" cam member is outof engagement with the actuating member. t

2. An article of furniture of theclass described, l

comprising, in combination, a movable seat member, and `stationary supporting means therefor,l cooperating piston and cylinder elements, one of n said elements being secured to said movable member and the other ofvsaid elements being secured l to said supporting means, said' piston element ,having a passage therethrough, said cylinder having iiuid therein adapted to support the piston in the cylinder, a single valve member carried by said pistonand adapted to close said passage and thereby prevent the flow of said fluid therethrough to the space above said piston whenthelatter is at rest in said cylinder; said valve member being freely movable toward and away from closed position and being automatically movable to lopen said passage upon upward movement of said piston in said cylinder whereby to permit fluid 'above said-piston tovow through said passage :to the space in said cylinder below said piston, and contro1 means operable to hold said valve member in open position for movement of fluid through said passage from below the piston to the space in the cylinder above the piston for effecting lowering movement of said movable member relative to the supporting means, said passage including a main portion extending axially through the piston and a branch portion extending at an angle thereto and communicating therewith and extending to the upper side of the piston, and wherein the control means comprises an actuating rod entering the main portion of said passage to coact with the valve, the upper portion of the lower end of said rod entering the main portion of said passage having substantially the same diameter as said main portion lwhereby the rod is guided for upward and downward movement thereby, the lower portion of said rod `coacting with the valve being of reduced diameter to a point above the point of communication of the main passage with the branch passage, whereby the reduced portion of the rod will not obstruct `flow of fluid through the lower portion of the main passage and through said branch passage.

3. An article of furniture of the class described', comprising, in combination, a movable seat member, and stationary supporting means therefor,

element ,lraving apassage,therethrougl'1, saidcyla.` 5t

inderhaving; fluid' therein adapted to support' the; piston: in'r the cylinder, pin'- members` extending,I transversely acrossthe piston.; member; directly belowtheflower end:` of saidpassage, avalve member: carried by'saidpiston andfreelymovable bem. 10iV tweerrthe:lowerend-offA saidzpassageand saidpins, the,pinsbeingiarranged to coactv with the valvey memberqto-limit movement' of the valve member. tos movement between a` position in which the` valve: member: engages saidr pins andVv a positionf., 15;

in` which the valve; member-closes said; passage toy therebyvv prevent the iiow of said,` iiuid there-,

vthrough to theV space above said'piston; when tliei latter is/at rest inflsaidflcylinder, said valve-mem-,

ber; beingautomatically movable` downwardly by,n 2m the. supporting means;

gravity-'inta engagement? with' said pins to open; said. passage; upon upward: movement of said; piston: in` saidl cylinder, whereby to permit uid;J abovefs-aid` pistontoflow through said passageto,

the space aboversaidf,pist'onxwhen the Iatterisat;

resti inV said cylinder, said valve member: being: automatically movable downwardly; by.y gravity; intoengagement With'said pins to open;said passage uporr upward movement of said pistoni'inz said cylinder whereby to permit' fiuidf abovefsaid'l piston to flow through said, passage to the-:spacel in said cylinder below*K said; piston; and control! means operable to hold saidzvalve` membersinz open position. for movementr'of -uidthrough said passage from below the piston to the space in the cylin'der'ab'ove the piston for eieeti'ng lowering; movement. of said movable member relative: to`

RICHARD R. eRAMERa REFERENCES CITED] The following references are of record inthe',

thespaee insaid;cylinderbe1ow said piston, and; 25,13@ of; this patent;

con-trol means operableto hold said valve mem-v ber in open position for movementl oi: fluid; throughv said passagey from below thepiston to the; space; in the cylinder aboveV the piston4 for effecting lowering movement of said movable seat-'L30 cooperatingz piston andv cylinder, elements, one oi'll35 said elements being secured to said=rnovableseatf` member, andthe other 0f; said elements being securedto said supporting means,said pistonfelementhavingI a passage therethrough, said-cyline der having uid therein adapted toysupportz the. 40

piston inthe cylinder, pin members; extending: transversely across the piston member directly belowvthe lowery end of said passage; a.ba1l valve: member car-riedby said piston and freely'movable. l

between the lower end; of saidy passage and said 45- Numberpinmembers, the lower =end ofv saidlpassage; form-y ing; a valve seat for said va1vemember;,the pins,

l UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 30,020 Chase Sept. `111; 1860y 32,511 Chase June 11; 1861;' 197,707 Wilkerson Nov. 27; 1877 241,614 cannon May 17", leer' 491,097' Gould Feb; 7, 1893 519,756 Browne 4 7 May 15 1894" 628,244l Holtz July 4; 189'91V 683,309 Lowry Sept, 24,1901 843,208 Hieber Feb; 5, 1907 l 975,705 Melchior Nov. 15; 1910 1,044,523' Hedman Nov. 19, '1912* 1,178,733A Koken Apr. 11, 1916" 1,347264 Emmert" July 20,1920 '1,770,197 Carter July a; 1930 .lOR/E-Ifrlr PATENTS Y Country Date-- 23,646 Great Br1tain1 189s 

